News & Comment

Car smoking ban a "complete failure" says Forest

Fri 30th September, 2016

Commenting on the first anniversary of the ban on smoking in cars with children, smokers' rights campaigners say the ban has been a "complete failure".

Simon Clark, director of Forest, said:

"The law has been a complete failure. There has only been one successful prosecution and almost no fines have been issued which suggests the law is unenforceable.

"It's also unnecessary because very few people smoked in cars carrying children even before the ban.

"The law was an attempt to stigmatise adult smokers when the reality is that most smokers are considerate and responsible. They certainly don't need the government telling them how to behave around children.

"Legislation was completely unnecessary and now anti-smoking campaigners want smoking banned in all private vehicles, regardless of who is in the car.

"This is creeping prohibition. If adults want to smoke in their own private vehicle and there are no children present they should be allowed to. There's no evidence it's a threat to road safety so there is no justification for extending the ban even further."

Smokers’ lobby group Forest has called for amendments to the smoking ban in Scotland ahead of the fifth anniversary of its introduction. The group wants pubs and clubs to have the option of separate, well-ventilated smoking rooms.

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